Around 10 districts likely to be affected by Cyclone Dana: Odisha minister

As Cyclone Dana is set to make landfall along the Odisha coast, Suresh Pujari, State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister said that around 10 districts are likely to be affected by the cyclone, adding that the evacuation proves has already reached its conclusion.

While talking to the media, Pujari said, "Around 10 districts are likely to be affected by the cyclone, comprising 60 blocks, 2131 villages, 12 urban local bodies, and 55 wards in different urban local bodies. The evacuation process has already reached its conclusion...Three lakh seventy-seven thousand people have already been evacuated...We have prepared 7307 relief centres across different districts. 4756 cyclone relief centres are already operational...6454 domestic animals have been brought to relief centres...213 medical teams have been deployed to take care of the evacuated people 120 veterinary teams have also been positioned in different locations."

 

"The total response force employed in different districts is 385. 19 NDRF, 51 ODRAF, 220 fire services teams and 95 Odisha Forest Development Corporation teams are also deployed," the Minister added. 

The India Meteorological Department also posted on X and said that Cyclone 'Dana' has moved north-westwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past three hours. It is about 60 Km from Dhamara in Odisha and 170 km from Sagar Island in West Bengal.

Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Deoranjan Singh asserted that everything is under control as of now.

"Officials are monitoring the situation at different spots. Tonight is very important and we will reevaluate the situation tomorrow morning after the cyclonic storm makes landfall," he said.

The cyclone Dana is anticipated to make landfall after midnight.

Earlier in the day, CM Majhi, highlighting the measures taken by the government to ensure security as severe cyclone Dana is expected to make landfall in Odisha, said that the government target is zero causalities.